TORAH: What did Avimelech mean by I did not know, and you did not tell it to me and I did not hear it except today? Was it his responsibility to know? When is it important that a leader know what is happening by those under their direction? (Sports, Military, Education, Restaurant, Business, Law enforcement, Business). When you encounter it in the story: Do you agree with Mama’s assessment of what this Torah phrase means?A BLESSING AND A CURSE: Technology has brought the world into our backyards. In what ways does knowing what is happening in other parts of the world change the concept – v’ahavta l’recha kamocha/love your neighbor as yourself? Are we responsible for what happens elsewhere in the world? How? Why? Or why not?To what issues does this apply, i.e., social, justice, environmental? Which of these are most likely to affect you directly? Will any affect you indirectly? LIFE ISN’T FAIR: Finish the following sentences: Life is_________________I wish life was ___________________________Share responses. Do you think we notice tragedy more when it strikes the poor and needy or when it strikes the rich and famous? Why do we notice each situation? How do we react to each situation? Who gets the most sympathy? Who gets the most assistance? From where does each come? EXPLORE THE WORLD: Take time to find out where there is slavery in the world. What kinds of slavery still exist in the world? What conditions make someone most vulnerable to become part of the slave culture?YOUR VALUES: What do you value that you carry with you that no one can take away?What is your enemy?

I really like these questions for classroom use. I might ask my students to bring in articles about recent events and/or ask them to come up with an event that they remember having a big impact in the last year as part of the discussion. The exploration of what they thought/felt/saw/did would be a really nice way to tie this in to several concepts: ואהבת לרעך כמוך and תיקון עולם being the first two that pop into my mind. Thank you!

Reply

R. Birdie

1/31/2014 03:24:20 am

So glad you can use them. The stories and much of the study/teaching material is meant to be universal. As Bereshit/Genesis from which the inner stories are drawn are also universal.